Import Configuration

Owned by Chris Welford
Last updated: Sept 17, 2024 by Zoe Baldwin
5 min read

Overview

Exporting items from a PhixFlow instance produces a zip file that you can download; see Export Configuration and Using the Download Area. You can then import the zip to another PhixFlow instance. 

Passwords

Passwords Saved in PhixFlow

Exported files do not include any passwords from the PhixFlow system, such as passwords for:

  • user accounts
  • accessing external data, for example using file or HTTP collectors and exporters or FTP sites.

If you are planning to import an exported configuration to another PhixFlow instance, you may need to update the passwords in that instance.

Providing a Password to Encrypt the Exported File

By default, when you download an exported file, it is encrypted. You must provide a password that you can then use when you import the file into another instance. 

How to Import an Exported Zip

  1. Click the  Administration icon, in the top right of the PhixFlow header bar
  2. Select  Import then  Configuration
  3. PhixFlow opens the Import Configuration window, then immediately opens a file manager window, where you can browse for the zip file

  4. Select the zip file and click  Upload File
  5. If your zip file is encrypted:
    1. Enter the password; see Passwords, above
    2. Optionally, disable Publish Tables if you do not want PhixFlow to automatically publish table data to the PhixFlow database; see Import and Updates to the PhixFlow Database, below
    3. Click Import Configuration
  6. PhixFlow imports the selected zip file.

When the import is complete, the System Console reports log messages that list the imported items. If the import fails, the console reports the errors; see Import Errors, below.

Importing Users to Another Instance

PhixFlow treats user roles and privileges as instance-specific. For this reason, exports from a PhixFlow instance do not include the references between user groups and users. When you import to another instance:

  • existing local and mixed user accounts retain their user groups, roles and privileges unchanged
  • any new local or mixed user accounts that are added do not have user groups, roles or privileges set by the import process. You must set appropriate user groups, and therefore roles and privileges.

What PhixFlow Does During Import

The import process compares the contents of the import with the items that are present on the target instance.

  • If an item is not present on the target system and is present in the import, the new item is created on the target system.
  • If an item is present on the target system and in the import, PhixFlow replaces the item on the target system.
  • If an item is present on the target system but is not present in the import, PhixFlow permanently deletes the item on the target system.  This includes table and recordset data.

If you move an item from an application to a package so that it can be shared, remember to export/import the application and package together. The item is deleted from the application and added to the package. If you do not export/import the package, the item is deleted from the application and is no longer available. This also deletes references, so adding the package at a later date will not reinstate the reference between the application and the item. 

To reinstate the deleted object and references to it, export/import the application and the package together.

Updating the PhixFlow Database 

If Publish Tables is ticked, at the end of the import process PhixFlow publishes imported data to the database. This means that changes to tables and attributes will be applied to the PhixFlow database when the import completes; see Publishing Tables. If publishing fails, the import will still complete successfully. The console displays any publishing errors.

PhixFlow automatically rebuilds its database cache when the import completes. We recommend that you run large import processes during periods of low system usage, for example overnight. This gives PhixFlow time to complete the import and rebuild the caches without affecting the performance seen by users.

Import Errors 

Large Imports

Very large imports can fail if they exceed limits on the server. If this happens, PhixFlow reports an Upload too large error. Consider splitting the items into several export zip files.

Missing Items

An import will fail if there is a reference to an item that does not exist:

  • either in the import file
  • or in the target system.

When you export items from one PhixFlow instance, it is important to ensure all items are present in the zip. For example, if items refer to other items in a package, ensure the package is included in the export.

If an import fails due to missing items, the console will log the following error messages:

  • Error 612 messages - one message for each missing item. The message reports the item with the reference, and the item that is missing at the start, in the form
    item-type "name" (reference) refers to item-type (reference)

     Example Error 612

    Area "inputform" (AreaComponent-08055461a13a51cb6914ca5be6dde21c) refers to Stream (Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a) but Stream (Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a) does not exist in the import zip or the repository.
    It is important for all referenced items to be imported. Please re-export from the source instance, including Stream (Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a)
    Note: To allow missing items when ALL AreaComponents refer to a Stream, consider adding AreaComponent.stream to System Configuration Allow Missing On Import. This will always null a reference from AreaComponents to a missing stream.


  • Error 618 message - this message includes the reference for all the missing items.

     Example Error 618

    There are items missing from the import file. It is important for all referenced items to be imported.
    Please re-export from the source instance, including the following items:
    Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a

How to Find Missing Items

  1. In the console, find the Error 618 message.
  2. Copy the references for the missing items to a text file.
  3. Go back to the PhixFlow instance where the import file was generated.
  4. Go to  Administration → Other → Show in Repository,
  5. Paste one missing item reference into the field.
  6. PhixFlow opens the repository with the missing item highlighted.

Repeat this process to find all the missing items. Re-export all items you require; see Export Configuration. If you have may items, consider adding them to a Package.

Ignoring References

In very rare circumstances, there may be a problem with references between types of item. In this case, you can configure PhixFlow to ignore missing items. 

For example, you can set PhixFlow to ignore (null) any references to missing users during an import.

Before deciding to ignore references, please discuss with PhixFlow support if there is another way to resolve your issue. 

To ignore references:

  1. In the console, find the  Error 612 message from the failed import process.
  2. Copy the <from object>.<to object> string from the message.
  3. Click the  Administration icon, in the top right of the PhixFlow header bar.
  4. Open System → Configuration.
  5. Navigate to the Advanced section.
  6. In the Allow Missing on Import box, specify a comma-separated list of missing items or fields listed in the import failure error message. For example:
  7. Next time you run the import, PhixFlow overrides the error messages and completes the import process.

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